WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
mikematijevich
mmatevich@aol.com

Intro:
- We have been working through a hot-bed of information about spiritual gifts.
- Chapter 14 all about speaking in tongues… but before is chapter 13…
- This is the greatest piece of literature about LOVE.
* Question I'm dieing to ask… Tina Turner (song)
Ever stop to ask yourself that question… (song)
* Here in the middle of these two great chapters - love… what does it have to do with it?
* To get the answer:
1. We have to do a very careful job defining "LOVE" biblically.
2. God designed LOVE to be the main part of this whole spiritual gifts scene…
3. Demands that definition and design puts upon our lives, gifts and ministries today.
Tonight
* The Definition of biblical love:
Prayer 1 Cor. 13:1-3

I. GOD'S DEFINITION OF BIBLICAL LOVE - A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE.
1 John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

A. Love is NOT God, God is love.
1. Some through out all beliefs for "love"
2. We cannot elevate the concept of love above God.
* Anything that is truly love, has to do with God…
He defines love because He is love-
We do not worship LOVE we worship God. We worship God because He is love.
* This is important… if you want to get into LOVE - you need to get into God!
If you really wan to get into love sooner or later you have to get into God.

B. Love is of different TYPES.
* In English we have CHEAPENED the word to mean a "feeling an emotion".
* If you speak another language- & deal with English trying to learn the language…
Teenager says, "I love pizza".
The one trying to learn the language- goes… "You love pizza?"
* We have made it a BROAD subject- as to become all but meaningless.
1. Greek language- NT a sophisticated language, their concept of love…
a. "Storge" love= affectionate- kids for parents, or for a puppy.
b. "Eros"= a sensual, (erotic)
c. "Philia"= a love deep friendship; brotherly... Philadelphia
d. "Agape"= here in text…a love that was of the highest & purest type…
This type- nothing to do feelings or emotions- you did not feel it…
It could result in & provoke emotions, but with VALUE- WORTH…
* Where you esteem someone else to be equal in worth or value!
* You love as your own soul! Like Jesus to his disciples Jn 15:12
The positive side:
Jn 15:12-15 "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."
(Friends - loveth at all times Prov 17:17)
The negative side:
2 Tim. 4:10a "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica…"
* Like a private respect & feelings for a officer in the military. (He wouldn't write poems and send flowers)
Not an emotional erotic love.
* LOVE- to love someone was to consider that person to be of EQUAL WORTH!
NOTE: Listen carefully- bible says God loves (agape) you & me!!!
God loves you & considers you to be of EQUAL VALUE of WORTH to Himself!
* He didn't just say that- He proved it- the CROSS. (FACT) He did it!
*** That's what love is all about.

* We have forgotten that in the English language we have a couple of words for love…
we just don't use them very much…
2. Like the word here in KJV "CHARITY" like a charitable organization…
- One that receives that it may give.
*** That is what love is all about! It is GIVING.
Love = a verb, ACTION toward…

Shame we use it for United fund, Salvation- gotten to where it is only feelings & emotions.
* The highest love- is GIVIING without expecting to receive!
* True biblical love is giving with no thought of receiving.
VERY important English word… our bible reminds us…

C. Love is Genuine- must be genuine
* The bible warns us there are:
1. Two things we should never falsify, never fake Love & faith
2 Cor 6:6; 1 Peter 1:22… the bible instructs us to have "love unfeigned".
1 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:5… Paul warns us to have "faith unfeigned".
There are two things that people tend to falsify, but NEVER should.
Note: "I love ya brother." (Easy to say isn't it?)
"Yeah I have faith in the bible." (Until you have an issue that the bible talks about, but you can't handle… "the firstfuits")

D. Love is to be UNCONDITIONAL
Rom. 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
* That is unconditional love- because He loved us even when we were His enemies.
* True is valuing those as equals- not conditoniing our live on what they do or say.
* The bottom line here in the context…
If you have spiritual gifts (no matter how powerful or magnificent they may be and you don't have LOVE (value others as equal to you) you have NOTHING!
* If you do value others as equal to you how could you NOT give them the gospel?
If your fellow Christians will not be ministered to in love IF you don't value them as equal worth to you!

II. GOD DESIGNED OF BIBLICAL LOVE TO BE THE MAIN PART OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

A. Love gives proof of our spiritual gifts 13:1-3
13:1-3 Context begins with a hyperbole (an exaggeration, hypothetical situation)
"Though" in order to get your attention…
1. "Though" (v 1) Paul spoke in ALL languages but didn't have charity= NOTHING
2. "Though" (v 2) Paul (was a prophet) but not ALL prophesies no charity= NOTHING
3. "Though" (v 3)
Note here - when people tell you speak in other tongues like here in verse 1, "initial evidence" how about giving all their goods to the poor? "Be burned".
* Even IF I DID all these things (all three verses) & had no love = NOTHING.
4. No love= noise makers, instruments used in the streets of Corinth, when the pagans would go through the streets to wart off the evil spirits.
NOTE: These words from Paul are strong words to the church that he founded- a hit in the gut.
Our gifts have no genuineness without charity! Without GIVING.
* If the spiritual gift is not about giving it is NOT of God!
* If it is not about reaching out to others it is NOT from God!
* It is NOT for you in your prayer closet. If it is- it is NOT of God.
Gifts are always: 1) About the body 2) Always about charity (PERIOD!) A hard statement.

B. Our love gives power to our knowledge (13:2)
* These are all biblical- but hypothetical, if I had all the knowledge in the world - no love= NOTHING.
C. Our love gives profit to our service (13:3)
* The emphasis on good works - all of them without love there is no Gain…

NOTE: Without love nothing I say has credibility…
Without love nothing I do has credibility.
When you don't value others--- you have NO VALUE!

Chapter 12 showed what spiritual gifts are …
Chapter 13 shows us the PURPOSE of spiritual gifts…
Chapter 14 shows how to correct abuses of spiritual gifts in the local church…

III. THE DEMAND OF BIBLICAL LOVE- what does God's love have to do with your life?

A. Do you really understand God's love for you??? Jn 3:16 quote it.
No matter what you think -No matter how many phobias you have…
* God considered you to be of equal value to His only begotten Son Jesus Christ! WOW!!!
1 Jn 4:9 "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."
* God did not just say He loved us… but He manifested, demonstrated His love toward us.
* For this whole reason it doesn't matter where you go to church, but a matter of us putting out trust in Him & that our sins separated us from Him… and that God loved us to be equal to Himself.
* So do you KNOW Gods' LOVE?
If you have a question about it--you don't KNOW His love.

B. Do you really LOVE God?
Jn 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
1. Not saying keep the law to be saved.
But hold God in highest regard… but if you say you love God, but you hold yourself in higher regard to not obey His word then you don't love God.

C. Does love give proof, power, & profit to your spiritual gifts?
1. Do you give to others by means of your spiritual gifts? Or your gifts for your use?
2. Does love empower your knowledge? Or just go around bragging on what you know?
3. Does love give profit to your service? Many places here to serve.
But do people see the love of Christ in you or do you mumble & complain?
Jn 13:35 "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

Could the world justifiably say about you that you are a disciple of Christ?
How do you speak about other?
Maybe that is why there is no fruit in your life.

Let the world know that you have love one for another.

So your gifts are given to you for the common benefit for the body of Christ.
So look around and see who you can show love to them.

Do you need a personal revival?